BUCKAROO BANZAI: Kevin Smith Attached To TV Series

Kevin Smith planning to make Buckaroo Banzai television series. The Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back director will adapt the cult classic science fiction movie for the small screen.

Initially released in 1984, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension boasted a star-studded cast that included the likes of John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Clancy Brown, Christopher Lloyd and Peter Weller as the titular character. In spite of this impressive case, the film was a critical and box office flop when it hit theaters. Since then, however, it has become the focus of a passionate fandom, inspiring comic spin-off comics and hopes that a sequel would eventually be made. If Smith’s efforts succeed, their patience will finally be rewarded:

In describing the potential series, Smith said: “Basically, you just do the entire movie for season one, and then season two you finally do the sequel we’ve all dreamed about,: Buckaroo Banzai Versus the World Crime League.”

Smith confirmed that he’s closed his deal to develop the series and that they’ll be taking the project to networks within the next month to find a home for it. He also revealed that he’d reach out to the film’s original writer Earl Mac Rauch to help with the series and that he’d like to cast Weller as the unseen villain Hanoi Xan, who he describes as “The Joker” to Buckaroo Banzai’s Batman.

No network has picked up the project at this point, although Smith explains that he will be presenting it to potential distributors soon.